文化價值
中國傳統節日習俗適應了中國社會廣大民眾在物質、精神、倫理和審美等方面的綜合需要。在物質生活層面，中國的傳統節日具有許多不同節日獨特的食品。元宵佳節，全家人在一起吃湯圓，“湯圓”與“團圓”字音相近，象征著團團圓圓，和睦相處。
元宵節的文化價值在于它是全民的狂歡節，人人參與，樂在其中。古代元宵節由于開禁，人流如織，男女相遇，易于產生愛情。千百年來，在元宵節上演的兩情相悅的愛情故事，舉不勝舉。
元宵節主要活動是大眾娛樂，但是其社會文化意義卻不僅僅是娛樂。正月十五有很多信仰活動，祈求神靈保佑。[元宵節也是求子的佳節良辰。宋代陳元靚《歲時廣記》卷十二《偷燈盞》解釋當時人在元宵節偷燈的原因時說：“一云，偷燈者，生男子之兆。”這里“燈”諧音“丁”，就是男丁。這樣一來，偷燈就象征著生育兒子，偷燈就是祈求子嗣綿延。根據同樣的道理，觀燈也具有求子的涵義。于是，古代婦女出門觀燈有了這個理由，就名正言順了。
節日文化是沒有國界的，春節如此，元宵節也不例外。億萬國人的熱情、奔放、張揚，可與巴西、德國等國的狂歡節比肩。
歷史價值
元宵節俗的形成有一個較長的過程，正月十五在西漢已經受到重視，不過，正月十五真正作為民俗節日是在漢魏之后。東漢佛教文化的傳入，對于形成過元宵節的風俗有著重要的推動意義。漢明帝永平年間(公元58——75年)，因明帝提倡佛法，適逢蔡愔從印度求得佛法歸來，稱印度摩喝陀國每逢正月十五，僧眾云集瞻仰佛舍利，是參佛的吉日良辰。漢明帝為了弘揚佛法，下令正月十五夜在宮中和寺院“燃燈表佛”。因此正月十五夜燃燈的習俗隨著佛教文化影響的擴大及道教文化的加入逐漸在中國擴展開來。 如今，隨著時代發展，今天的元宵節正從家庭走向社會。不論元宵、彩燈、煙花如何變化出新，這些元宵節延續的古老傳統風俗依然沒變。這些傳統文化的元素，它始終是人們心中割舍不斷的情愫。
經濟價值
元宵節臨近，花燈、湯圓和花炮等商品生意火爆，山東省日照市“元宵經濟”紅紅火火。商家吹響元宵經濟“集結號”。2011年2月17日是元宵節，吃湯圓、品美食、看廟會，每一位市民都在努力的抓住春節的尾巴，享受元宵節中的年味。在元宵節到來時，節日經濟再度被攪熱，酒店訂座爆滿，超市元宵賣得火。近年來一些春節期間沒來得及聚會的同事、親友將元宵節作為一起聚餐的機會，使得元宵節酒店的訂座率大幅增加，元宵節訂餐數量幾乎不亞于除夕年夜飯，部分酒店針對市民過年喜吃大魚、大肉的習慣，特意在元宵節推出“憶苦思甜”菜肴，粗糧、野菜、窩窩頭頗受市民青睞。
元宵節的來歷習俗意義英文
until the sui dynasty in the sixth century, emperor yangdi invited envoys from other countries to china to see the colorful lighted lanterns and enjoy the gala(節日的，慶祝的)performances.
by the beginning of the tang dynasty in the seventh century, the lantern displays would last three days. the emperor also lifted the curfew(宵禁令), allowing the people to enjoy the festive lanterns day and night. it is not difficult to find chinese poems which describe this happy scene.
in the song dynasty, the festival was celebrated for five days and the activities began to spread to many of the big cities in china. colorful glass and even jade were used to make lanterns, with figures from folk tales painted on the lanterns.
however, the largest lantern festival celebration took place in the early part of the 15th century. the festivities continued for ten days. emperor chengzu had the downtown area set aside as a center for displaying the lanterns. even today, there is a place in beijing called dengshikou. in chinese, deng means lantern and shi is market. the area became a market where lanterns were sold during the day. in the evening, the local people would go there to see the beautiful lighted lanterns on display.
today, the displaying of lanterns is still a big event on the 15th day of the first lunar month throughout china. people enjoy the brightly lit night. chengdu in southwest china's sichuan province, for example, holds a lantern fair each year in the cultural park. during the lantern festival, the park is literally an ocean of lanterns! many new designs attract countless visitors. the most eye-catching lantern is the dragon pole. this is a lantern in the shape of a golden dragon, spiraling up a 27-meter -high pole, spewing fireworks from its mouth. it is quite an impressive sight!
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